The recent remarks made by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) should send alarm bells ringing in the power corridors of Pakistan. During the recently held meeting with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, FIA Cybercrime Wing Additional Director Tariq Pervez said that the National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA’s) biometric data had been hacked and fake sims were being exported. Trying not to agitate the MNAs present at the meeting, Pervez soon altered his statement and said that the data had been ‘compromised’ not hacked. He further went on to state that around 13,000 fake SIMS were seized during a crackdown in Faisalabad alone. Whether the data has been compromised or hacked, these are no small claims and demand an immediate inquiry, despite the fact that NADRA refuted them in a statement released soon after.
Security of vital data is paramount and the fact that many sim cards were illegally issued after manipulation of the NADRA data is concerning. In the past, we have witnessed terrorist outfits using fake SIMs to carry out attacks. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Amir Azeem Bajwa present at the meeting, also stated that 175,000 illegally issued SIMs had been blocked since November 2020, which included over 2,600 in October this year. Issuance of fake SIMs do not only threat the country of potential terror attacks, but have also been used to carry out cybercrimes and other criminal activities. Some of which have still not been probed as the FIA additional director mentioned the lack of sufficient number of employees in the organization to address complaints – 89,000 of them. What the government also needs to realise is that it isn’t just a matter of fake SIMs but the fact that people’s personal data has been compromised.
The Personal Data Protection Authority of Pakistan Bill provides for the protection of citizens’ data who had trusted NADRA with it at the time of filing for the National Identity Cards (NICs), among other necessary documentation. It is then important for the ruling party to probe into Pervez’s claim, while at the same time also devise a strategy with the PTA to prohibit the issuance of fake SIMs. News of individuals being arrested for selling illegal SIMs has become too often. A government backed drive to limit the number of cards to two per person was initiated a few years ago. The process of it shouldn’t become in vain.
